Conformity: Types and Explanations

• 3 types of conformity

  Compliance

  Identification

  Internalisation
• Define compliance

  Simplest form of conformity.

  A temporary change in beliefs/behaviour externally but privately or internally disagree with it. Behaviour lasts only when the group is monitoring us.
• Define Identification

  Moderate type of conformity.

  Acting in the same way with a group because we value becoming apart of it. Public opinions are changed whether or not we agree with them privately
• Define Internalisation

  Extreme type of conformity.

  When a person permanently changes their public AND private beliefs. This is because attitudes have been internalised and does not change when the group is absent
• Explanations for conformity

  Informational Social Influence (ISI)

  Normative Social Influence (NSI)
• Define Conformity

  A change in a person's behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined social pressure from a person or group of people.
• Define/Explain ISI

  Conforming to a group who you believe has the better information out of fear of being wrong and desire of wanting to be correct. ISI is a cognitive process affecting how you think. May lead to INTERNALISATION

  SITUATIONS: Likely to happen in a situation that is new to a person/ambiguous where the right answer isn't clear. May also happen in a crisis situation where decisions have to be made quickly and someone is regarded as more of an expert.
• Define/Explain NSI

  Conforming to a group to gain social approval out of fear of rejection. Following the social norms that regulate the behaviour of groups. NSI is an emotional process. NSI may lead to COMPLIANCE

  SITUATIONS: Likely to happen in situations with strangers or people you know who may concern social approval. May be more pronounced in stressful situation where people have a need for social support.
• Research support for ISI

  Lucas et al (2006) asked students to give answers to mathematical problems that were either easy/difficult. Greater conformity to incorrect answers for difficult questions. Shows that people conform where they feel they don't know the answer in difficult situations.

  This adds validity to the explanation, as it demonstrates that people genuinely change their behavior in ambiguous or challenging situations due to cognitive processes, not just social pressure
• Research support for NSI(AO3)

  Asch (1951) found that many of his ppts went along with the wrong answer because other people did. Many ppts said they felt self-conscious giving the correct answer when asked and afraid of disapproval.

  When writing answers instead of saying them aloud, conformity rates fell to 12.5%

  This supports NSI as it shows that people conform to gain social approval, strengthening the theory’s credibility.
• What is a limitation for NSI and ISI as separate explanations?

  • Normative Social Influence (NSI) and Informational Social Influence (ISI) may not be mutually exclusive
  • Its likely the processes work together in order for conformity to occur
  • in Asch’s line study, some participants reported conforming because they doubted their own perception (suggesting ISI), while others admitted they went along with the group to avoid rejection (NSI)
  • Overlap challenges the idea that NSI and ISI are two distinct processes
  • Therefore suggests that the dual-process theory may be too simplistic, and that conformity is likely influenced by a combination of social and cognitive factors
  • explanatory power of the theory is reduced, as it may not fully capture the complexity of human social behavior.
• Limitation due to individual differences in NSI (AO3)

  • Research suggests that NSI does not affect everyone's behaviour in the same way
  • People who are less concerned with being liked are less affected by NSI processes
  • Those who have a need for association with others are known as nAffiliators
  • McGhee and Teevan found students in need of affiliation were more likely to conform
  • Therefore shows that individual differences may effect responses to NSI limitation